SINGAPORE – The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced a recall of six pieces of Pouligny Saint Pierre Fermier brand au lait cru, or raw milk goat’s cheese, on Wednesday (April 17), due to the presence of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (E. coli).

SFA said that the European Commission Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed had earlier issued a notification that some batches of Pouligny Saint Pierre Fermier brand au lait cru had been recalled due to the bacteria.

As there was import of the implicated product into Singapore, SFA directed the importer to recall the product.

It was found that six pieces of the product were imported and sold to a restaurant here. By the time the recall was issued, two pieces had already been consumed.

The remaining four pieces were returned, and the recall was completed on the same day.

In a statement, SFA said consumers who choose to consume raw milk cheese must be aware of the risks involved.

Raw or unpasteurised milk is likely to contain more bacteria and other pathogens compared to pasteurised milk, including E. coli bacteria.

The agency said that as a precaution, vulnerable groups of people such as young children, pregnant women, the elderly or people with chronic illness such as diabetes, should avoid eating raw food.

SFA also advised those who feel unwell after the consumption of raw milk cheese to seek medical attention.

It added that the key to preventing foodborne illnesses lies in good food hygiene and food safety practices.

SFA advised consumers to thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources, keep raw food separate from vegetables, fruits, cooked and ready-to-eat food and avoid raw milk or food made from raw milk.

Consumers should also wash hands, utensils, and food preparation surfaces before and after handling raw food.

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